Ayrshire pupils to compete in national joke-telling finals

Aldrei Pagaran, from Primary 1 at St Ninian's Primary School in Prestwick, and Thomas Picken, from Primary 5 at Invergarven School in Girvan, have earned their place at the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists’ (RCSLT) VoiceBox competition.

The competition is a nationwide contest for primary schools, focused on emphasising the significant role communication plays in a child’s development.

Aldrei and Thomas impressed the judges with their jokes that were graded on originality, delivery, and punchline.

They will compete against 27 other finalists at the grand final in the Scottish Parliament.

Hosted by Alison Johnstone MSP, the Scottish Parliament's presiding officer, and compered by Zara Janjua, a BBC journalist and comedian, the event will take place on June 6.

Glenn Carter, a spokesperson for the event, said: "It's great to see our local winners move on to the final of VoiceBox.

"This competition isn't just about making people laugh; it's about showing how important good speaking skills are for success in school and later in life.

"VoiceBox shows how valuable it is for kids to learn how to communicate well.

"Helping them now sets them up for a better future."

The pupils have also won £100 worth of HarperCollins books, and top prizes are up for grabs from Collins Big Cat, a reading programme for primary schools.

Finalists stand a chance to win up to £500 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their schools for first place, and £200 worth of Collins Big Cat books for their schools for second and third place.

Lizzi Jones, head of sales and marketing for Scotland from HarperCollins, said: "We are delighted to support the development of children’s communication skills through VoiceBox and the message that it is spreading.

"We believe that this will help improve children’s literacy and comprehension abilities through the enjoyment of telling a joke."